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  • Q&A: How one Cal State professor plans to teach politics during ‘the most important election since 1860’

    Q&A: How one Cal State professor plans to teach politics during ‘the most important election since 1860’


    Credit: Smith Collection/Gado/Sipa via AP

    David McCuan is no stranger to strong disagreements in his political science classes.

    “Everything is framed as a life or death struggle and decision, in a very serious way,” said McCuan, a professor at Sonoma State University. “So what I do tell students at the beginning of the class is, ‘We’re going to work hard. We’re going to disagree. And everything is going to be OK, because politics is a game for adults.’”

    McCuan should know. Over the past two decades, he’s guided easily 400 budding politicos through an election-year course that teaches them not only how to unearth the money and power structures behind state ballot measures but also asks them to register voters, educate fellow citizens on the election and, quite frequently, work with a student from the opposite end of the political spectrum.

    Sonoma State political science professor David McCuan
    Sonoma State political science professor David McCuan
    Credit: Courtesy of David McCuan

    This fall’s course comes ahead of what McCuan’s syllabus calls “the most important election since 1860” — the election that preceded the Civil War.

    In the 2024 election, roughly 8 million youth nationwide will age into the electorate in a divisive election year that has highlighted deep fissures on issues like immigration and the war in Gaza. 

    It’s also a moment of generational transition. Sonoma students returned to the Rohnert Park campus the same week as the Democratic National Convention, where Vice President Kamala Harris’ brisk rise to the top of the ticket signaled the passing of power to a younger group of Democratic Party politicians. 

    All of that means fall 2024 could be a volatile time to teach politics, a reason why McCuan wants students to work with peers with whom they don’t see eye to eye. Students entering his classroom even fill out a questionnaire to gauge their political views, information McCuan uses to pair students with their ideological foil on class projects.  

    “I try to take two opposite individuals and put them together to work on a team to understand what’s going on,” he said, “because I’ve found over the years that actually lends itself to a lot of help for each other.”

    The idea behind the class dates to the late 1990s, when as a young academic, McCuan began to contemplate the disconnect between the political science literature — where whether political campaigns even matter is an ongoing subject of debate — and the world of politics as it’s practiced on the ground. 

    McCuan’s students work with the League of Women Voters to research state ballot measures. The league compiles arguments in favor and against each measure, while students piece together the story of who is funding the ballot issue, how much money they’re spending, which consultants they’ve hired and how those strategies could swing the campaign.

    The course also has a service learning component. Students lead a public forum in which they present their ballot measure research to the rest of the campus and receive training on how to register voters. Many interactions with the government can feel punitive, McCuan said, like serving on a jury or paying taxes, so the hope is that more positive experiences of democracy will inspire students to stay civically engaged for the rest of their lives. 

    “We know that voting is a habit, so if you get people civically minded and engaged to register people to vote or to analyze what’s on the ballot, it has an educative effect,” McCuan said. “The idea is to create something that’s positive about what it means to be civically minded.”

    Sonoma State also does not shy away from political science programming that can provoke strong emotions, McCuan said. The university has hosted a lecture series on the Holocaust and genocide, he noted, and McCuan himself teaches a course that examines terrorism and political violence.

    McCuan said high-profile events have galvanized youth interest in politics in recent years. The 2016 election of Donald Trump, the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and the Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision holding that abortion is not a constitutional right each emerged as lightning rods for youth political engagement. 

    Efforts to harness students’ political energy on McCuan’s campus have paid off in the past: 88.3% of registered voters at Sonoma State cast a ballot in 2020, besting the 66% average turnout rate across more than 1,000 colleges and universities in a national study of college voters that year. 

    It’s not just young people at Sonoma State who are eager to cast a ballot. CIRCLE, the Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement at Tufts University, found that turnout for voters age 18 to 29 rose from 39% in 2016 to 50% in 2020.

    Will younger voters turn out this year? More than half of voters 18 to 34 told pollsters they were “extremely likely to vote.”

    What those numbers don’t show is the long-standing voting gap between college goers and people without a bachelor’s degree. In 2020, 75% of 18- to 29-year-olds with a college degree voted compared to just 39% with a high school education, a CIRCLE analysis of census data found.  

    McCuan recently discussed why he thinks universities should invest more in civics education and how he prepares students to discuss difficult issues in the classroom.

    The following Q&A was edited, condensed and re-ordered for length and clarity.

    What should K-12 schools be doing to teach students about civics and politics?

    We’re integrating civics rather than holding it separate. We’re trying to integrate things across the curriculum because we have so many things that we want people to learn or that we demand that they know. And I think that’s losing depth of understanding in the guise of trying to provide breadth of coverage.

    (In political science), we pay very close attention to the relationship between economic, social and political variables, (also known as) ESP. They (students) might be able to name off ESP components of American history and American politics. It’s the what they’re really good at. It’s the why that is always the struggle.

    They might be able to note certain things on the history timeline, but how those were moments of change or inflection points — or why they matter, or how they’re consequential — that’s the part that’s often still the same as it was before. All the stuff they’re covering from K through 12 is ticking off boxes that aren’t necessarily providing greater understanding.

    Is there anything that would better prepare students before they reach your classroom?

    Invest in civics. I struggle, because I was a department chair for a long time and, as you know, in higher education, it’s faced a lot of pressure and a lot of financial pressure.

    I have a great passion about learning. I’m a first generation college student. I’m the son of a cop. I’m not supposed to even be here. The neighborhood I grew up in is the ‘hood, man, and if I can do it, others can do it. It takes a great deal of courage to call things out, and I don’t see that with a lot of higher education leaders, so I need an investment in civics that’s greater.–

    And as we’re cutting budgets and we’re cutting requirements, we’re taking things out– like how to write and how to think — because we’re trying to cram other things in there, or graduate people faster, or push things through. 

    Do you ever have to step in as a conciliator between students in your classroom?

    I haven’t generally had to weigh in on severe disagreements. I think your question, though, is appropriate for this fall, where everyone’s made up their mind about how they’re going to vote, except for 5% of people. So I’m going to have people in this class who are on far sides of the political spectrum trying to work together. Can that be combustible? Yeah, sure, maybe.

    I just feel like a professor who hadn’t been teaching this course for as long as you have would run in the opposite direction from starting now.

    I want a lively, engaged classroom, man!

    And also, remember, while we’re looking at the election, paying attention to candidates, we’re also concentrating a lot on non-candidate on ballot measures. Now, those are our proxy for blue and red, for left and right, sure — but we are concentrating on ballot measures, non-candidate elections, so it does remove some of that heavy partisanship.

    Do you hear this sentiment among colleagues, a reluctance to talk about political views with students?

    What I do hear from colleagues, especially younger colleagues or newer colleagues, is a frustration with trying to delve into issues that are hard. They often avoid those because they’re worried that they won’t have a chair or an administration that will back them up if things get heated. 

    Sometimes I have newer, younger colleagues who try to steer around issues if it makes students uncomfortable or will lead to aggression in the classroom. I’m not afraid of that.

    What makes you not afraid of that?

    I trust that we can get to a place of respect, if not understanding. I want a classroom that’s lively, engaged. I think the best thing in a student in my class is intellectual curiosity. That’s what I want. I’m not interested in the politics — and what I mean by that is, I’m not interested that they feel strongly this way or that way. I need them to be intellectually curious, because I can work with that. We can work together on that. And intellectual curiosity is something we see less and less of, so it’s harder.

    You don’t strike me as somebody who’s disillusioned with political processes — or are you?

    I think to be in this profession, to do this job, you have to have an optimistic view of the human condition. Because you don’t do it for the pay. You don’t do it for the benefits. You do it because you have a passion and a mission that the next generation can do it better. 

    When you see that ‘aha’ moment with students, it’s not because they’re mimicking your view. It’s not that at all, and I don’t do this in the classroom. It’s that they are understanding and making connections that I never saw. Or that they are finding and understanding in depth and making those connections that are analytical, not political. And that’s really helpful, because that’s a skill. 

    Is there some way that the students you’re teaching have changed since you started this course in 2003?

    They use social media tools to get an idea of what’s going on. So in other words, as the digital space has grown in campaigns, they’re in that space. 

    I don’t know what the hell a “Swiftie” is. I didn’t know the BeyHive is Beyoncé, and I would have spelled it like a beehive. But they know, so they’re operating in the space where the BeyHive and the Swifties are operating. 

    They’re understanding that space, and therefore, they are understanding the colors that are used by Kamala and her team, that lime green color. They know what that means, right?

    Their understanding of social media, their clarity about what messages are being communicated, would fly over the head of most pointy-headed academics. So I need them.





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  • How parents can limit children’s harmful cellphone use at home

    How parents can limit children’s harmful cellphone use at home


    The use of personal devices has increased since the Covid pandemic closed school campuses in 2020.

    Credit: Brett Sayles / Pexels

    Children who use cellphones, smartwatches and other personal devices excessively are more likely to have shorter attention spans, be more anxious, have trouble thinking critically, be less physically fit and have problems interacting socially, according to research.

    The debate about how much screen time is too much has been ongoing for more than two decades, but it has gained urgency in recent years as young people have become more reliant on cellphones and other devices. 

    The use of personal devices increased during pandemic school closures, with 12- to 13-year-olds more than doubling their recreational screen time to 7.7 hours a day in 2020, according to research led by the University of California San Francisco.

    Adolescents have since decreased the number of hours they are on the phone, but cellphone use is still well above pre-pandemic levels, said Dr. Jason Nagata, an associate professor of pediatrics at UC SanFrancisco. 

    California Gov. Gavin Newsom brought the issue to the forefront earlier this month when he urged school district leaders to take immediate action to restrict cellphone use on campuses this school year. Newsom said excessive cellphone use by young people is linked to anxiety, depression and other mental health issues.

    Cellphones, smartwatches and other personal devices aren’t inherently good or bad, Nagata said. They can be a useful tool for communication, education and socialization, but they also have their dangers, he said.

    “The goal of parents and for teens is really to try to optimize all of the benefits, while really minimizing the risks,” Nagata said. “And, I do think that one of the risks associated with constant connection on phone use is that some teenagers and adults really can develop signs and symptoms of an addiction.”

    Up to 95% of young people ages 13-17 nationwide report using social media platforms. A third say they use it “almost constantly,” according to the Office of the Surgeon General.

    “If kids are on their phones 24/7, it doesn’t help them develop a sense that they can create, understand and generate thoughts and ideas,” said Dr. John Piancentini, a psychologist and professor at UCLA Health on its website. 

    Too much screen time can be bad for kids

    Excessive cellphone use can impact a child’s mental health, resulting in anxiety and sometimes disruptive behavior disorders, according to research. Teens who use social media too much can develop body image issues and eating disorders, Nagata said. Others may feel less connected to friends and family.

    Excessive phone use also has potential health consequences. One of the primary ways that phone use can adversely affect a young person’s health is by displacing sleep, which is essential to health and development, Nagata said. The blue light emitted by cellphones and other devices can suppress melatonin, a hormone that helps a person to sleep.

    Cellphone sounds, such as notifications and rings, can also disturb rest. Sleep is important for teenagers in particular. Research shows that one-third of teens already get fewer hours of quality sleep than is required for optimal growth, development and academic achievement, Nagata said.

    Young people who excessively use cellphones are also more likely to have sedentary lifestyles and to focus on the screen instead of what and how much they are eating, he said.

    Increasingly, school districts are banning cellphones and other personal devices to keep students focused on school work and to encourage them to interact more with their teachers and peers. But what can parents do to ensure their children have a healthy relationship with their cellphones and other devices?

    Warning signs of addiction

    There is no consensus among researchers or physicians about exactly what constitutes phone addiction or problematic phone use, Nagata said. Despite that, the issue has become dire enough for the Surgeon General Vivek Murthy to issue an advisory in May, calling on policymakers, technology companies, researchers and families to minimize the harm of social media and to create safer, healthier online environments to protect children online. 

    “I think, in general, parents and kids have a sense that maybe their use is too much, maybe it’s leading to problems at home, maybe it’s leading to problems at school,” Nagata said. “And so those might be indications that someone has problematic phone use or a phone addiction.”

    Nagata said there are a few indications that your child may not have a healthy relationship with their phone: 

    • If they are upset at the thought of being without their phone.
    • If they stop whatever they are doing to answer calls, texts or messages.
    • If they argue with others over the amount of time they are on the phone.
    • If they can’t reduce the amount of time they are on their device.
    • If time on the device interferes with schoolwork, chores or in-person socializing with family or friends.

    Parents can limit phone use

    Decreasing the use of cellphones and other devices before adulthood can be particularly important because research shows that screen-use patterns in young adulthood persist through adulthood.

    Tips to decrease screen time:

    • The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends having a family media use plan that outlines when phones can be used and when they can’t. 
    • Initiate screen-free times before bedtime so that children get enough sleep. Parents could consider prohibiting screens in the bedroom and turning off devices and notifications at night.
    • Establish that dinner and social times are screen-free times to better promote conversation and socialization.
    • Parents should have regular conversations with their children about screen use and find opportunities for children to put away their phones and do nonscreen activities with friends.
    • Parents should try to work with the parents of their children’s friends to institute similar rules on social media and screen use to make implementation easier.
    • Parents should adhere to the family media plan and model good cellphone practices.

    “The biggest predictors of children’s screen use are their parent’s screen use,” Nagata said. “It’s really important to practice what you preach.”

    Parental monitoring and limiting of adolescent screen use were both linked to lower adolescent screen time, according to UCSF research. Punishing adolescents by taking away their devices or rewarding them with more screen time was not effective, Nagata said.

    “There is not a one-size-fits-all solution for screen rules, so parents should consider their children’s ages, what electronic devices are in the household, and the family’s needs for communication and school work on electronic devices when constructing a family media use plan,” Nagata said.





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  • We can care for each other — and our schools can teach us how

    We can care for each other — and our schools can teach us how


    Credit: Allison Shelley/The Verbatim Agency/EDUimages

    The start of the school year can be anxiety-producing. We get the anxiety. Believe us, we do. Between the three of us, we parent a kindergartner, a ninth grader and a freshman in college. We know how scary it is to feel like your child is falling behind in a game with life-shaping stakes. But, as this new school year gets started, we’re trying to worry less about our own kids and put our energy into a broader, collective educational enterprise. 

    To understand what that collective enterprise might look like, it helps to step back and think about the goals that motivate public education. Contemporary schools serve at least three crucial social goals: helping individuals flourish, sorting students into roles in our highly differentiated economy, and creating a broader sense of solidarity. 

    As we settle into our fall routines, we often focus on the first two goals at the expense of the third. Because we know that education shapes our children’s life chances, we want our kids to get into the advanced math class, make the honor roll, and claim the high-status educational positions that clear the way to high-status positions in the broader world. We start to see the whole educational system as a vast tournament, where students compete for access to learning opportunities that provide access to more advanced learning opportunities that, ultimately, open the way to elite positions in the adult world. 

    No wonder we’re all so stressed out. We’ve turned education into a zero-sum game and invested that game with high stakes. We once talked about education as a pathway to the middle class. But today, as educational debt loads rise and machine intelligences fuel job insecurity, that pathway feels like a tightrope without a net. And that’s just part of the story. In a meritocratic culture that sees educational success as a marker of worth, we feel like our children need to excel in order to prove they matter. 

    It doesn’t have to be this way. 

    In fact, America’s new favorite social studies teacher and high school football coach shows us how different schools can be. As a long-serving public school teacher, Tim Walz recognized the way sports can bring a community together and how school leaders can channel that community toward inclusion and belonging for all students. In the classroom, he developed learning experiences that challenged students to understand the recurring sources of conflict and genocide, helping them see connections between communities across the globe. As a politician, he resisted school choice policies that allow families to wall themselves off from one another and championed a vision of schools as places where everyone — regardless of their family income — can come together around a meal. 

    You don’t have to be a teacher, coach or policymaker to advance this vision. 

    Parents, you can choose to send your child to the most diverse public school available to them; leave the packed lunch at home and encourage your child to eat in the cafeteria; praise your child for encouraging a peer who is struggling to fit in; organize parents from throughout your school’s community to get involved; and advocate for policies that provide public schools with the resources they need to ensure that all kids thrive; and vote for leaders who will make those policies a reality.

    This fall, as we post back-to-school photos to social media, we’d do well to remember — and celebrate — that school is the place where we learn how to play well with others. This key lesson in social solidarity requires a curriculum far more complicated than Calculus and more nuanced than AP Literature. School teaches us to see ourselves as individuals embedded in a complex set of relationships with others. It teaches us to respect those around us, to observe them with care and empathy in order to identify, and adjust to the intricacies of any given interaction. 

    Taking these lessons seriously opens us — and our children — up to a deep humility and a profound sense of responsibility. When we are aware of our connections to others, we can’t help but remember that each of the people we run into has an inner life every bit as rich as our own. That we are just one of 8 billion other humans — and countless other organisms — on this planet, each of which shares the same will to survive. 

    This sense of solidarity is a badly needed antidote to the preening and divisive rhetoric that will dominate the news this election season. Solidarity allows us to step back and gain some perspective on our grievances, reminding us to consider our own wants in light of the wants and needs of others. 

    If we don’t want the divisiveness that defines our politics to define our society, we need to work together to turn away from educational competition and build schools that create solidarity.

    •••

    Emily K. Penner, Ph.D., is associate professor of education in the school of education at the University of California, Irvine. Her research focuses on K-12 education policy and considers the ways that districts, schools, teachers and families contribute to and ameliorate educational inequality.

    Thurston Domina is associate dean for academic affairs and director of graduate studies at the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill School of Education.

    Andrew Penner is a professor in the sociology department at the University of California, Irvine and director of the Center for Administrative Data Analysis.

    They recently co-authored the book, Schooled & Sorted: How Educational Categories Create Inequality.

    The opinions in this commentary are those of the authors. We welcome guest commentaries with diverse points of view. If you would like to submit a commentary, please review our guidelines and contact us.





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  • A policy analyst forecasts how the May state budget revision will impact school funding

    A policy analyst forecasts how the May state budget revision will impact school funding


    Transcript

    Every year, by May 15, the governor has to revise his proposed budget, and this is when the budget season really kicks off.

    So, just as individuals are concerned about personal finances, retirements, the impacts of inflation, and uncertainty about government services, the state is facing those same sorts of uncertainties. And in this case, uncertainty really rolls downhill. There’s national uncertainty, which is causing state revenue uncertainty and budget uncertainty, which then impacts the state’s education budget decisions, that will then impact what school districts are facing as they head into adopting their budgets by the end of June.

    So, we know that the revenue outlook for the current year that ends June 30 looks pretty good, so will that protect us?

    I’d sort of hoped that they would, but the short answer is no, and that’s because of some nuances in how Prop 98 works. A lot of those extra revenues that have come in are actually going to count against last year, the 2023–24 fiscal year. And in that year, the Legislature actually suspended the constitutional guarantee for a year. So even though there are extra revenues, none of those revenues will go to schools.

    As we look to the future, to the 2025–26 school year, the forecasts are looking much more pessimistic. The Legislative Analyst’s Office just came out with a projection of revenues for next year being down around $8 billion. That would trickle down to schools getting about $3.5 billion less compared to what their current programs receive.

    I would expect schools to get the program that’s in place for the current year, plus a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA), which is currently expected to be about 2.3%. That probably seems pretty low to most folks, especially given some of the costs districts might face—salary increases that have already happened due to inflation, the rising costs teachers are facing, plus pensions and other obligations. So, the costs districts are facing may be going up more than the 2.3% COLA they’re getting.





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  • ‘Psychological first aid’: How volunteers helped students recover after LA fires

    ‘Psychological first aid’: How volunteers helped students recover after LA fires


    A burned sign at Oak Knoll Montessori School (Loma Alta School) from the Eaton fire on Jan. 9 in the Altadena neighborhood of Pasadena.

    Credit: Kirby Lee via AP

    Top Takeaways
    • More than 100 volunteers helped provide “psychological first aid” to students in the Pasadena Unified School District following the Eaton fire.
    • Mental health professionals say normalcy remains far away for many students impacted by January’s fires, and long-term trauma is expected.
    • The volunteer effort has died down, but the district is looking for ways to provide ongoing support to students with greater needs.

    In a classroom that smelled like a campfire, a student at Pasadena Unified’s Sierra Madre Elementary School broke down when he saw a student-made stuffed rabbit that had X’s for eyes. 

    His art teacher called for help from Tanya Ward, a project director for the mental health and school counseling unit at the Los Angeles County Office of Education. 

    Ward arrived immediately and pulled the student aside. 

    “That’s a dead bunny. That’s a dead bunny,” the student repeated, sobbing.  

    “What does that make you feel?” Ward asked him. “What do you think about that bunny with X eyes? Could it be something else?” 

    The student began to breathe and seemed less agitated. He started talking haltingly about how the stuffed rabbit — in reality, a sock wrapped around a rice-filled balloon — made him feel. 

    Sad. And scared. 

    “Then he was able to go back,” Ward said. “I sat with him for a little bit longer, just to help him get going with his project. … The other students didn’t tease him or make fun of him. They just embraced him.” …

    Ward is one of roughly 100 volunteers from the Los Angeles County Office of Education, or LACOE, and beyond, who have provided mental health support at Pasadena Unified School District school sites and enabled hundreds of students to get back on track in the months following the Eaton Fire, which displaced about 10,000 of the district’s 14,000 students. 

    “We’ve always been ready. But to be able to be welcomed and ushered into this work — and be able to have solutions — and to know that you have people who’ve got your back, it’s pretty unbelievable,” said Julianne Reynoso, Pasadena Unified’s assistant superintendent of student wellness and support services. “I would never have imagined this level of support.” 

    Supporting families 

    Shortly after the Eaton fire burned more than 14,000 acres, John Lynch, a community schools initiative coordinator for LACOE, started making phone calls to check in on families and find out what support they needed, from economic needs requiring gift cards to housing. 

    He called 100 about families at Altadena’s Eliot Arts Magnet alone — all while dealing with his own long-term displacement from the region. 

    “It was a way for me to really know, to be in community with other people who live in my community, and we’re kind of going through something similar, even though we’ve all experienced this differently,” Lynch said.

    “Families that are displaced, I think they — we — … have maybe felt a little bit forgotten, as the rest of the world kind of goes back to their everyday life,” he added. “People are just like, “Wow! Thank you for calling, and for remembering that we’re kind of going through this tragedy.”  

    Supporting students 

    When students returned to school after the fire, many had been separated from their peers for months. 

    “Some hadn’t even really come back from Christmas break. And then the fires closed down their school, so they had not seen peers, their friends, for several weeks,” said Anna Heinbuch, a school counseling coordinator at LACOE. 

    “A lot of our students were just happy to be in a space where they were with their peers and able just to talk about something other than the fires.”

    Within weeks of the fires, Heinbuch facilitated a “psychological first aid” session in the gym of Marshall Fundamental Secondary School — gauging students’ wellness, helping them through whatever they were dealing with and providing them with suggestions for next steps, such as access to a school social worker. 

    She brought coloring books to help comfort the students and taught them breathing exercises they could do by themselves. She asked whether they had been sleeping well and eating properly. 

    The initial period of assessing students’ needs lasted a few weeks, and then the effort rolled back. But Kim Griffin Esperon, a LACOE project director of mental health and school counseling, who organized the volunteer effort, began hearing from principals who expressed an increased need for longer-term support. 

    And Griffin Esperon worked to bring in longer-term support, which lasted until the end of March. 

    Volunteers said students’ grief had started to deepen. Some longed for their lost pets and missed the other animals that made Altadena home. Others, whose homes survived, felt survivor’s guilt. 

    Some students began to act out in the classroom. Others felt less engaged academically. Many struggled when they were away from their parents or siblings. 

    “This is going to take a long time for some of these kids to work their way through,” Griffin Esperon said. “There’s no rushing back to normal for these students because their lives will not probably feel normal to them for quite a while.” 

    The road ahead 

    More transitions lie ahead for some students — from potential housing changes to friends who may move elsewhere. 

    And with the volunteer effort having achieved as much as it can for now, Reynoso said the goal is to connect students who need it with longer-term care and support. 

    Pasadena Unified is continuing to monitor students’ well-being, Griffin Esperon said, and has recently received funding to hire two crisis counselors. The district will also rely on parents who have health insurance to provide support for their children, she added. 

    “Despite what crisis or trauma they’ve been through, we want (students) to feel connected,” Reynoso said. “We’re definitely seeing the need … for long-term care, and we’re looking at every opportunity we possibly can.” 





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  • How schools can go the extra mile to reduce absenteeism

    How schools can go the extra mile to reduce absenteeism


    A teacher’s aide sits with a kindergartner on the first day of school at George Washington Elementary School in Lodi Unified.

    Diana Lambert

    In today’s world, families have numerous school choices for their children and often rely on the experiences of neighbors, family and friends for advice. Families’ perceptions of the school — how they feel when they walk into the front office, their ability to provide feedback and feel heard and valued, and their access to school staff — are all crucial to improving student attendance, engagement and performance.

    This might sound a lot like customer service, and that’s precisely what it is.

    Just as in the business world, positive interactions between schools and their families directly influence satisfaction, loyalty and trust. According to the K12 Insight report on customer service in schools, these interactions can enhance student outcomes, enrollment, attendance and behavior.

    Children in poverty, children of color and children with disabilities are three times more likely to be chronically absent. A welcoming school that goes the extra mile to create a sense of belonging and build bonds with families can take proactive measures to address attendance challenges.

    This school year, schools should aim to create and nurture a sense of belonging and common purpose with families and the community. Here are some actionable suggestions:

    Create a family-friendly environment

    Families should feel comfortable touring and visiting the school. A welcoming environment includes convenient parking, clear signage, cleanliness, a friendly and helpful front office staff, a comfortable and inviting waiting area, translated materials, posted family engagement activities and events, and flyers informing families of enrichment opportunities available after school and in the community. When interacting with the school, families should find the staff knowledgeable, helpful and responsive to their concerns. To go the extra mile, schools can:

    • Advertise principal office hours when parents and students can stop by.
    • Promote networking among families during an open house by organizing grade-level meet-and-greet events and team-building activities.
    • Use student pickup and drop-off times as golden opportunities to make quick and friendly connections with families.
    • Post empowering messages for families on the school outdoor sign.
    • Actively recruit families to support decision-making and help identify the school’s vision and goals.

    Enhance family engagement with clear and honest communication

    Effective communication with families is clear, relevant and personalized. Go beyond good intentions and engage in meaningful conversations that can lead to improved student learning.

    Teachers can make a great first impression before school starts or at the beginning of the year by making a welcome phone call, sending a postcard, email, letter or any other form of communication that helps families get to know their child’s teachers.

    Encourage teachers to be relatable by sharing tidbits of their own lives; being a real person goes a long way in building relationships. Let families know the best way to contact their teacher for questions, guidance or updates on student learning progress.

    Transparent and honest communication builds trust. Prioritize communication linked to learning. Share student progress data promptly, inform families when and how students will be tested, and show parents specific activities and strategies for home support. Report cards and parent-teacher conferences are not enough; families need concrete and personalized information and guidance to support learning. To go the extra mile:

    • Implement quarterly listening circles with diverse groups of families to value parents’ perspectives and ideas and support school improvement.
    • Anticipate communication barriers by understanding each family’s preferred language and communication method.
    • Create school policies to allow teachers to regularly connect with families and build time into the schedule to make it possible.

    Expand engagement access for all families

    Traditionally, schools collect family engagement data based on family attendance at school events and activities. Often, this means counting the regulars — the ones who come time after time. This school year, challenge your team to count the families who were unable to attend the event, especially if the event is focused on student learning.

    Divide the number of absent families by grade level and ask teachers to reach out to their families to share the information they missed and build trust. Take this opportunity to learn more about the family, build trust, and open new lines of communication. Create space for teachers to share what they learn with their grade-level team. To go the extra mile:

    • Adjust engagement opportunities using family feedback and suggestions from prior years.
    • Leverage nonclassroom staff to facilitate mini-make-up sessions for families who were unable to attend the learning-focused events.

    Genuine family engagement happens away from school — it happens at the dinner table, in car rides and during everyday parent-child interactions and family dynamics. Strengthening relationships with families can enrich the way families support learning and provide valuable insights into the children you teach.

    There’s something incredibly heartwarming about reading parents’ social media posts expressing their appreciation for their child’s school. These parents highlight their favorite and trusted teachers, describe a sense of community and belonging, and invite new families to join in on school activities, volunteer opportunities, and decision-making committees. Their loyalty to the school is unmistakable.

    Efforts like those listed above can enable schools to build stronger, more supportive communities that foster student success and create a welcoming environment for everyone involved.

    Let’s make this school year the best one yet by going the extra mile for our families.

    •••

    Maria Paredes is a senior engagement manager on WestEd’s Family and Community Engagement team. A version of this post first appeared in the WestEd Bulletin in August and is reposted here with permission.

    The opinions in this commentary are those of the author. We welcome guest commentaries with diverse points of view. If you would like to submit a commentary, please review our guidelines and contact us.





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  • How California can unlock multigenerational economic mobility and success

    How California can unlock multigenerational economic mobility and success


    Krystle Pale, UC Santa Cruz graduate and advisory committee member of The California Alliance for Student Parent Success, with her family. She provided testimony for AB 2458 and also successfully advocated for her children to walk with her on stage during graduation.

    Credit: Photo by Nikhil Naidu Photography / Courtesy California Competes

    About 1 in 8 college students in California is a parent. For these students, college isn’t just about attending class and studying; it’s a daily juggling act that also includes managing households, raising children, and working to stay afloat. Moreover, the additional costs of child care, higher food expenses, and other necessities mean that student parents pay an additional $7,500 per child to attend college. Without significant financial aid, they would need to work at least 50 hours per week at minimum wage to cover these costs. 

    The precarious balancing act is more than a personal challenge — it’s a consequential issue that spans generations and affects all Californians. When student parents thrive, the benefits ripple across communities and generations, creating economic stability for families, closing racial equity gaps, and strengthening California’s workforce and economy. Yet, their determination to balance work, study and parenting goes largely unnoticed because neither colleges nor the state systematically collects data on their demographics, experiences and outcomes.

    This Student Parent Month, we urge higher education leaders, policymakers and communities to change that. To empower bright futures for all Californians and bolster the state’s economy, which increasingly relies on a skilled workforce, California must transform the higher education system to address the needs of student parents and smooth the path to college for the 3.9 million Californians with children who have yet to complete their degrees. And it all starts with better data.

    Think of data both as a flashlight and a key. As a flashlight, data illuminates the needs and strengths of student parents, allowing colleges to identify the obstacles they face and the support they need to succeed. As a key, data unlocks a deeper understanding of who California’s student parents are, enabling more informed decision-making and resource allocation to improve outcomes for them and their families.

    Right now, California cannot effectively use student parent data in these ways. Only some campuses collect data on student parents and the several that do miss critical data points, such as the number and ages of students’ children, which would be helpful for assessing the need for child care and family-serving housing. Definitions of “student parent” vary between institutions, and within colleges, departments struggle to coordinate data collection efforts, further limiting their ability to leverage data to drive systemic change for student parents.

    Recognizing these gaps, our organizations launched The California Alliance for Student Parent Success and identified data collection and utilization as a critical component of our statewide policy agenda to support the postsecondary success and comprehensive well-being of student parents.

    To turn California’s student parent data into a flashlight and a key, it should be accessible, accurate and actionable:

    • Accessible means that colleges should facilitate information-sharing between campus departments, across colleges, and external sectors like workforce and social services, and share de-identified data publicly.
    • Accurate means that colleges and government agencies should establish standardized data collection definitions and procedures statewide.
    • Actionable means that the data can be effectively analyzed and responds to the needs of student parents. Data should be collected about the experiences of student parents from enrollment through career, their academic and workforce outcomes, and data disaggregated by key demographics, like race, ethnicity and gender.

    California has work to do, but progress is on the horizon, especially with the development of stronger data infrastructure through the California Cradle-to-Career Data system.

    Legislation to strengthen data collection for student parents is also underway. This year, our alliance cosponsored its first bill, the GAINS for Student Parents Act (AB 2458), which will require institutions to uniformly collect and report data on student parents and share this data with the Office of Cradle-to-Career Data. This will enable California to evaluate and shape policies and practices that will empower student parents to reach their full potential. The bill also seeks to make college more affordable, addressing financial hurdles student parents face. Now, all that remains is the governor’s signature to make this bill law.

    Addressing data gaps will enable California to better tailor resources and policies, streamlining student parents’ educational and career journeys and laying the foundation for a thriving economy. This Student Parent Month, let’s honor their determination to work, study and parent by taking concrete steps to advance their success. Passing legislation like GAINS for Student Parents Act is one critical step. It’s time for California to unite in uplifting the voices and future of student parents and, by extension, the future of California.

    •••

    Su Jin Jez, Ph.D., is CEO of California Competes, a nonpartisan policy and research organization focused on identifying solutions to California’s higher education and workforce issues.

    Christopher J. Nellum, Ph.D., is executive director of EdTrust-West, a nonprofit organization advancing policies and practices to dismantle the racial and economic barriers embedded in the California education system. 

    The opinions in this commentary are those of the author. We welcome guest commentaries with diverse points of view. If you would like to submit a commentary, please review our guidelines and contact us.





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  • How stepping out of my comfort zone enhanced my college experience

    How stepping out of my comfort zone enhanced my college experience


    News writing and editing major Ally Valiente says she’s glad she overcame her self-doubts about going behind the mic at Sonoma State’s radio station, KSUN.

    Credit: Courtesy of Ally Valiente

    When I told a friend that I would be hosting a radio show every Monday at 11 a.m. on KSUN, Sonoma State University’s student-run radio station, he looked at me almost in disbelief and said, “Are college radio stations even, like, a thing anymore?” 

    Admittedly, I thought that, too. Before signing up for the course, I considered radio stations to be another thing of the past. 

    But it turns out, college radio stations are very much still around. While many of the CSU campuses such as San Francisco State, Sacramento State and Cal State Los Angeles have switched to an entirely online format, other campuses like Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, San Jose State and Cal Poly Humboldt provide listeners with an option to tune in online or on the airwaves. 

    As a communication major, my sole focus was on written journalism, specifically writing and editing for the school newspaper. The idea of venturing outside my “area of expertise” was a daunting one. Because of that, I put off choosing any electives for three years. 

    And I know I wasn’t the only one who felt tentative about stepping out of my comfort zone.

    Jalen Jenkins, the new general manager of KSUN radio, originally took COMS 385: Media Lab (Radio) to fulfill his elective requirement. 

    “I did not know much about radio before getting into KSUN and was mainly drawn to it because of my interest in music. Since then, I’ve found so many things that have encouraged me to stay. From group work that keeps the station running smoothly to improving my show each week, the involvement I’ve had in KSUN has kept it in my schedule since I first enrolled,” Jenkins said. 

    Like Jenkins, when Daniel Oliva, a television, film and media studies major, decided to sign up for an introduction to digital art course during his senior year in 2022 at California State University Los Angeles, it was to fulfill a course requirement.

    Oliva said that he initially felt a bit unsure because he did not know how to draw or shade properly. Nonetheless, he decided to “throw the hat in the ring” and try it. 

    “When you’ve been taking classes that are related to your major, a lot of it is shared information between classes. Sometimes it doesn’t feel like you’re learning more. I went into that class not really knowing how to use Adobe Illustrator or art in general,” Oliva said. “I feel comfortable with a program that I didn’t otherwise have any experience in. I’m glad I didn’t listen to that voice in my head that said ‘You don’t know anything about art, so why take an art class?’”

    I would be lying if I said it wasn’t uncomfortable taking a radio course at first. And it wasn’t as if all my anxiety melted away when I slipped on the headphones and spoke into the microphone for the first time. I was self-conscious about not having any experience with operating a sound board, writing segments for a show or audio mixing. 

    But throughout the semester, I gained confidence behind the mic, even though the thought of public speaking terrified me in the beginning. The support from my peers and professor helped me to gradually break out of my shell.

    I learned how to write scripts for show segments and promotions, production techniques like audio-mixing and editing, and effective voice delivery for clear pronunciation in front of a microphone.  

    Similarly, Marivella Torres, a fourth-year communications major at Sonoma State university, was apprehensive when she first joined the Phi Sigma Sigma sorority, but later found it empowering

    Torres said her primary concern was not knowing what to expect from the experience. 

    “I never thought I would be a person to be affiliated with a sorority, and I had some concerns about whether sororities were inclusive. However, before accepting my bid, I met with the girls in a casual setting and those worries quickly went away as they were more than happy to answer all my questions and concerns,” Torres said.

    “Being in a sorority has taught me many things. I have had the pleasure of getting involved by being our bursar, which is a treasurer, and I am currently holding the vice archon (vice president) position.”

    Torres said that since joining, she has learned leadership and how to delegate and work in a team, meet strict deadlines, deal with budgets and make executive decisions. 

    If I gave in to my anxiety and avoided radio simply because I didn’t have the experience, I would never have experienced personal growth or gained the confidence that I have now. Joining KSUN radio enriched my college journey, and that wouldn’t have been the case if I hadn’t decided to take the first initial step out of my comfort zone. 

    •••

    Ally Valiente is a fourth-year communications/media studies and English double major at Sonoma State University and a member of EdSource’s California Student Journalism Corps.

    The opinions in this commentary are those of the author. We welcome guest commentaries with diverse points of view. If you would like to submit a commentary, please review our guidelines and contact us.





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  • Q&A: How new wellness coaches expand mental health support in California schools

    Q&A: How new wellness coaches expand mental health support in California schools


    Credit: Alison Yin/EdSource

    Early this year, the California Department of Health Care Access and Information introduced the new Certified Wellness Coach program, aimed at improving the state’s inadequate capacity to support growing behavioral and mental health needs in California’s youth. 

    The program is part of the historic five-year, $4.6 billion state-funded Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, of which the Department received $278 million to recruit, train and certify a diverse slate of mental health support personnel, or certified wellness coaches, in schools and community-based organizations across the state. 

    Dr. Sharmil Shah, assistant deputy director of behavioral health for HCAI.
    Sharmil Shah, assistant deputy director of the California Department of Health Care Access and Information.

    According to Sharmil Shah, assistant deputy director of the California Department of Health Care Access and Information, certified wellness coaches work under a care team of licensed clinicians and professionals in pre-K, K-12 and post-secondary school settings. Most coaches have relevant associate or bachelor’s degrees in social work and human services and are trained in nonclinical behavioral health support. 

    Shah says the program strives to become a long-term response to a long-term crisis in California — that rates of anxiety and depression among the state’s children shot up by 70% between 2017 and 2022, and that following the COVID-19 pandemic, many adolescents experienced serious psychological distress and reported a 20% increase in suicides. 

    As part of a five-year initiative’s broader push to redefine student success, the program builds on research that behavioral interventions also improve academic performance and attendance in schools. In fact, anxiety, depression and mental health are the top health-related drivers of absenteeism since the onset of the pandemic, according to the Los Angeles Trust for Children’s Health. Simply put, students who feel better do better in school. 

    EdSource interviewed Shah about the new wellness coach program. Her remarks have been edited for length and clarity. 

    Describe the Certified Wellness Coach program. What can young people expect from the new wellness coaches?

    Certified wellness coaches are meant to be an additional, trusted adult on a school campus — whether it’s an elementary school, middle school, high school or a college campus. This is a person that young people can turn to in times of need. Coaches would offer preventive and early intervention services and are intended to support a child or even a 25-year-old before a severe behavioral health need arises. 

    Some of the things that a parent or a child might see are classroom-level presentations, supporting school counselors with [mental health] screenings, individual and small group check-ins, wellness education and referrals to advanced behavioral health providers in times of crisis, among many other services. 

    What are the two types of wellness coaches, and how are their roles different?

    There is a Certified Wellness Coach 1 and Certified Wellness Coach II. The Certified Wellness Coach 1 offers entry-level behavioral health supports, such as structured curriculum, to small groups or classrooms, which are focused on wellness promotion and education, mental health literacy — understanding the language of mental health — and life skills. They also support screenings for young people, connect them to behavioral health resources and professionals. If it becomes apparent that someone has a more significant need for behavioral health services, they’ll do a warm hand-off to a higher level of care.

    The Certified Wellness Coach II provides a little more in-depth prevention and early intervention support to children and youth. They provide structured curriculum for groups or classrooms that’s focused on enhancing awareness of common behavioral health conditions like depression, anxiety. The Certified Wellness Coach II can help young people overcome maladaptive thinking patterns, distraction strategies and emotional regulations, and are able to do higher level interventions than a Certified Wellness Coach 1. 

    To support a mental health screening, a Certified Wellness Coach 1 can give the child some information about it, but they won’t administer the questions. The Certified Wellness Coach II can actually facilitate a screening process, be in the room and get everything set up, but they must still all be under the guidance of a school counselor who has qualifications to administer the screening and ask the questions, for example. 

    Why was it important to implement the program at all levels of schooling — from early education to community college? 

    It’s essential for children and youth to get help earlier on in the continuum of care, especially before a crisis arises. We believe that by supporting them at a younger age, we can provide them with the tools and skills to support their behavioral health and build resilience as they age. Wellness coaches can support youth through all the different changes, not only as related to age, but to life in general. We start at a very young age and then continue to an age where they can actually remember and hold onto the skills that they’ve learned. 

    How did the pandemic shape your vision for the program?

    For students, we saw increased levels of anxiety, depression, social isolation, a disruption in their education, economic difficulties, and, of course, a lot of loss and grief. Children and adolescents lost family members who did not survive the pandemic. From research, we knew that there was already a youth mental health crisis in the state of California. The pandemic exacerbated it.

    One system alone cannot address these challenges, but the school system is where all the kids are. There’s just not enough school personnel to address the need across the state. Through the development of this workforce, we hope that we can complement the incredible work that the educators are already doing by being a partner in their students’ health. Our wellness coaches can focus on social isolation, anxiety, feelings of sadness, and feeling connected and able to talk to somebody. 

    In a 2022 survey, about 55% of teachers said they would retire earlier than planned due to burnout from the pandemic. Could wellness coaches help relieve some of that ongoing burnout?

    I was a PTA president, and I was in those environments in which I saw that there’s a child in the classroom that clearly looks like they need behavioral health services, and the teacher is spending maybe 90% of his or her time on that student, and the rest of the [students] are just kind of running around in circles. The current counselor-to-student ratio in California is about 1 to 464. It’s impossible, and it’s nearly double the recommended ratio. As the staff that spends the most time with students, the burden of supporting student behavioral health often falls on the teacher. That’s just not sustainable. That’s not helpful for the teachers, and they can’t do their job. By adding additional behavioral health professionals on campus, like wellness coaches, we can hopefully alleviate some of that burden and allow teachers to focus on the academic success of their students. 

    How will certified wellness coaches serve youth from multilingual or multicultural backgrounds? Will coaches reflect the demographics and experiences of their school’s student body?

    Equity and effective access to care is a cornerstone of our programs. We have been recruiting diverse candidates to become wellness coaches and making sure that we adequately address cultural responsiveness and humility as part of their training. We have done very extensive marketing and outreach campaigns that use a variety of channels and messaging to get to as many populations as we can, including underserved and underrepresented communities. 

    We also selected our employer support grant awardees, mostly schools and some community-based organizations, based on geographic spread, to make sure that all 58 counties were represented and could hire coaches. And then we also provided special consideration to Title 1 [low income] schools, organizations whose staff speak multiple languages, and organizations that support Medi-Cal students. And then we had two scholarship cycles to support students who wanted to become wellness coaches. We [will support] their tuition and living expenses, especially for those who came from different backgrounds or didn’t have a lot of resources.

    We are also partnering with California community colleges, which offer resources and support for underserved and underrepresented populations to enter the wellness coach system. What we found in our research is that 65% of their students were classified as economically disadvantaged. So we’re already addressing those groups. 

    And as part of our certification requirements, we’re focusing on specific degrees such as social work, human services and addiction studies, which already include cultural responsiveness and cultural humility as part of their key learning outcomes. What we’ve heard anecdotally from a lot of young people is that, “I don’t see myself in the people that are helping me or serving me,” and we want them to feel safe and comfortable with the person that they’re talking to. 

    Where are you in the rollout of the program?

    In February 2024, we launched the certification program for wellness coaches. As of Sept. 17, we have certified 383 coaches, and that number is steadily growing. We’ve done so much outreach and engagement and social media blips and radio ads, because we need to be able to reach the young people where they are. As of August, the Department executed 64 21-month grant awards of $125 million to employer support grants for schools and community-based organizations to hire wellness coaches. That will fund the placement of more than 1,500 certified wellness coaches between this school year and next school year. And then, also, in August, we awarded 99 individuals with scholarships totaling about $2.8 million for those pursuing degrees with which they apply to become a certified wellness coach. 

    How can the program address broader post-pandemic issues such as chronic absenteeism and declining school enrollment?

    We’re hoping that wellness coaches will strengthen young people by providing them with a safe place to share their fears and teaching them the skills necessary to cope with life’s challenges. We believe that equipping them with these skills will decrease absenteeism, help them focus on their schoolwork and also be able to have them integrate themselves into the school environment. Young people with behavioral health conditions are sometimes isolated, bullied, made fun of and may not even like school as a result of all of those things that are going on. If they have a safe place, a safe adult, a safe person that they can talk to about some of the feelings they have, they will be happy to come back to school, look at it as a place of learning and a place to make friends. 

    What kind of challenges do you foresee in keeping the program running and successful?

    Sustainability. Everything runs on the mighty dollar. We are in the final years of the [Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative] right now, and we can use those funds to sustain the program for probably another year or two. We are actively partnering with the Department of Health Care Services, and other state departments, to make certified wellness coaches’ services billable through Medi-Cal [and commercial insurance], which will support sustainable financing in our schools [beyond the five-year initiative].

    Extensive research has demonstrated that students who feel like they belong in schools perform better in the classroom and have better rates of attendance. This not only benefits the student, but it also potentially benefits the schools in retaining coaches, as school finances are based in-part on school attendance.

    What kind of feedback have you received about the program?

    I had a student who said, “I didn’t really feel like there were a lot of places to go to, even though they had help available. I didn’t trust people to confide in.” You never want people to feel like they have nowhere to go or that they’re alone. This was a student who would then become a wellness coach. Another student who became a wellness coach said that she didn’t feel there was enough support when kids needed help where she lived. She said, “If I’m struggling, I want to know there’s someone there for me if I genuinely need it.” She said she’s had really hard days, but being able to open up and talk about it makes the world seem a little more colorful. It makes her feel lighter on her feet. 

    We had some parents indicate that wellness coaches are a great way to give back to the community, because they’re giving back to our future, our children. It’s helping them be productive members of society and be the best version of themselves.

    This story was updated for clarity.





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  • How school closures provide an opportunity to create better high schools

    How school closures provide an opportunity to create better high schools


    Credit: Allison Shelley for American Education

    Falling enrollments and gloomy economics point to the inevitable: Many school districts in California will close schools over the next decade. So far, they have been mainly elementary and middle schools, but high schools, spared until now, won’t escape, a newly released study by a national research and consulting organization concluded.

    Rather than view closures solely as retrenchment and loss, the authors view “this period of fiscal transition” as an opportunity for districts to redesign high schools that are more engaging for students.

    “This is sorely needed,” wrote researchers Paul Beach and Carrie Hahnel of Bellwether Education Partners, a national nonprofit research and consulting firm. “Educators, policymakers, and researchers increasingly agree: The structure of high school must change.”  

    High school students won’t dispute that. Significant proportions of high school students have signaled they feel disconnected from school, the report notes. One-quarter were chronically absent, and only half said they had a caring relationship with a teacher or another adult at school, according to the state’s latest Healthy Kids Survey.

    The paradox is that redesigning schools “often requires more money, not less,” they wrote, but the transformation is doable through strategies that could include redoing traditional seven-period schedules, expanding dual-enrollment courses with community colleges and apprenticeship opportunities, and creating hubs within a district where multiple high schools can share facilities and courses. Partnerships with government agencies, businesses and nonprofits can help shift expenses, and money from the sale of properties can help pay for new initiatives, like staff housing, they wrote.

    The report, “Navigating Change: Strategies to Strengthen California High Schools Amid Declining Enrollment,” cites examples of districts that are adopting new models, like San Francisco Unified’s health and life sciences learning hub. It offers half-day programs at the University of California San Francisco Mission Bay campus for students in five district high schools with the outside funding that will survive as the district faces a massive deficit and school closings. 

    One way or another, consolidations will happen. After peaking at 6.3 million students in 2005, California’s enrollment has gradually been falling, and hastened by the pandemic, was 5.8 million in 2023-24. The California Department of Finance projects an additional 11% drop of 647,000 students; by 2032, there will be 5.2 million students overall.

    California’s declining student enrollment

    California student enrollment, 2000-’01 to 2023-’24, with projections through 2044-’45

    Credit: California Dept. of Finance, Bellwether Education Partners
    Credit: California Dept. of Finance, Bellwether Education Partners

    As a declining birth rate and fewer immigrants work their way through the system, high schools will feel the impact last, the report said. And those closings will be the hardest to pull off, with the most community resistance.  

    More so than with elementary and middle schools, people have stronger emotional attachments to high schools because that’s where they come of age. They’re their alma maters; their auditoriums, stadiums, gymnasiums and classrooms are after-hours community facilities.

    Districts will more likely cram in middle schools to keep high schools going, said Ron Carruth, who retired as superintendent of El Dorado Union High School District this year and is now the executive director of the California High School Coalition, a new organization that is looking at best practices and new ideas for high schools.

    At some point, resistance will face reality, and districts will have to ask, “Is this a doom cycle?” Carruth said. “There will be a point where a good AP program and challenging academic and career pathways will require a certain size,” Carruth said. “Smaller than that, a school cannot be everything for everybody, particularly in rural areas.”

    Beach and Hahnel, who previously held leadership roles in two California education policy nonprofits — the Opportunity Institute and Education Trust-West — urge districts to get busy on how to consolidate programs and redeploy staff. 

    The Legislature can help by revising state laws that “collectively stifle innovation and create a rigid high school structure,” the report said. At its meeting this month, the State Board of Education discussed potentially granting districts waivers from minimum instructional minutes to accommodate learning opportunities outside the traditional school. It plans to explore the idea further. 

    The report recommends re-adopting the expired pandemic-era relaxation of state laws to simplify selling surplus property so that districts can develop or lease school properties for staff housing, child care centers, or centers operated by local health agencies and nonprofits without red tape.

    Added importance of partnerships

    New partnerships will be critical to expanding student opportunities and reducing costs. The study points to some groundbreaking examples:

    The city of Inglewood is spending $40 million to redesign its main library as an education and innovation center for two high schools in Inglewood Unified, which has experienced a massive, decadelong enrollment drop. The project will include a bridge linking the library to a nearby high school to ensure safe passage.

    High schools and community colleges can both qualify for funding for dual enrollment courses through the College and Career Access Pathways program, especially when college professors teach courses on high school campuses.

    Napa Unified is among the districts whose community schools have tapped into the state’s $4.7 billion Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative to create onsite wellness centers and expand mental health services at their high schools — facilities and programs the district could not afford on its own. 

    “It would be a huge benefit if you can put outside health-care and academic providers on high school campuses as they shrink,” said Carruth. “Look for synergies.”  

    Carruth pointed to the passage of Senate Bill 1244, authored by Sen. Josh Newman, D-Fullerton, which the coalition encouraged as a big step in the right direction. Signed into law this month, it removes a restriction that had limited dual-enrollment partnerships to a community college district closest to a school district. The new law will allow districts to enter agreements with other community colleges for courses that the local district cannot or chooses not to offer. “SB 1244 will change the lives of hundreds of thousands of students,” especially in urban areas, where students have lacked a range of dual-enrollment options, said Carruth, who added it may take a few years to reach its potential.

    But beyond the issue of school closing, what’s urgently needed is to step back for a big-picture look at high schools, he said.

    The Newsom administration has done “amazing things for younger kids,” Carruth said, by expanding child care and adding a new grade of transitional kindergarten. “But there has been no similar vision and investments for high schools.”

    Roxann Nazario, a parent advocate and organizer from Los Angeles, said she is disappointed that schools didn’t become more innovative after the pandemic revealed structural weaknesses.

    “Why aren’t we capitalizing to make schools more flexible for kids? I am frustrated they have not evolved,” said Nazario, who was interviewed by the Bellwether authors. 

    She points to her daughter Scarlett, an artistic high school junior, possibly with undiagnosed mild autism, who has struggled to find a school where she can thrive academically and creatively. Ideally, she would be able to take core classes in which she struggles at one school and another school that’s strong in the arts, like Champs Charter High in Los Angeles, where she went last year.

    “A flexible model would meet kids where they are,” she said. “We just settle for what is and don’t push for what’s best.”

    The cost of transporting students to other districts and current funding laws will be obstacles. There is currently no provision for dividing daily per-student funding among districts. A district that offers a minimum of four classes per day receives full funding. But there are discussions to lower the minimum reimbursement to three classes per day to encourage more dual enrollment programs, and that could open the door to further options, Carruth said.

    The state should also re-examine the Local Control Funding Formula, which Carruth said has shortchanged high schools since its adoption a decade ago. The authors of the formula simply added 20% more funding to the base funding amount for seventh and eighth graders to determine high school funding per student. The rationale was that high schools were required to offer 20% more instructional minutes than middle schools. 

    “That (falsely) assumes high school is just a bigger middle school,” Carruth said. “We made a mistake during the creation of (the funding formula) that we didn’t adjust what it costs to run a high school.”

    But with budget forecasters projecting stable, if not lean years ahead, high schools probably won’t get an infusion of funding any time soon. Meanwhile, dropping enrollments, which will lead to declining revenue in many districts, will underscore the study’s call for rethinking how to spend the limited funding high schools will receive. 

    “There’s a pent-up demand for re-envisioning high school,” Carruth said.  

    Added Nazario, “Many kids are just getting by, not thriving.”





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